A Revision of Drop the World Part 2
by MightierThanSword17
Summary: After seeing Drop the World Part 2, I decided to make my own version of what I felt should have happened in the episode. In this version, Eli ends up in a car crash that puts him in a coma. What happens to him and Clare's relationship when he wakes up?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi. I have returned with a new story! Right now, let me just rant about how extremely disappointing Drop the World Part 2 was. If I at least let the fanfiction world know how I feel, then I will feel more at ease. The Eli and Clare storyline was horrible. It's like the writers were just trying to cause random problems that didn't exist for this couple in order to have them break up at the end of the season. I felt like Clare was completely out of character in this episode. It was very low of her to break up with Eli on the phone and for no reason. What triggered her to? What did he do that was so bad in that episode? What, that spring was coming? If there was a reason, it wasn't properly explained. I know that Eli has become very clingy and possessive over Clare but there's a reason for that and Clare knows that it's because of his fear of losing Clare like he lost Julia and it's like she's done trying to help him now. I also hated how after she ran out of the hospital when Eli was hurt that she ran back to that stupid dance instead of staying in the hospital to talk to Bullfrog or Eli's doctor or to walk home. Whatever happened to "anyone with a heart tries to help people when they're in trouble?" Eli needed help in the hospital or at least a little sympathy instead of just a lecture. I understand Clare for leaving Eli in the hospital room because he was being scary towards her but I hated how she just assumed that Eli manipulated her because of what Alli said. I felt like when Eli said his car accident was worth it because Clare visited him, that it meant he didn't PLAN on her being there but HOPED she would. Eli is mentally unstable to assume that things would get better between him and Clare by crashing his hearse with him in it. That was another thing. What was up with Clare's random hatred towards Morty? She didn't hate the hearse when her and Eli had car rides in it or when Eli taught her how to drive in it. Why hate it now?**

**Basically, I hope during this break that Eli and Clare think about what happened at the night of the dance and that they get back together in season 11. I know they won't make a speedy recovery since Eli needs to get better physically and mentally. Hopefully when he does, him and Clare will patch things up. Together or apart, I will always have faith in this couple. Normally when I write a revised version of an episode like the past one-shots I did, I can get over my disappointment of the episode and just pretend my version is the real one. Here's what I felt Drop the World Part 2 should have been like without having it being rushed. This one is different full of twists and intense drama. I hope you enjoy and all reviews are appreciated.**

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><p>It was the night of the Spring Dance. The night to celebrate the last day of school before spring vacation. The gymnasium was filled with bright lights, everyone dressed up so nicely in prom outfits instead of uniforms, and people were dancing to the loud music that filled up the school. All of the students of Degrassi were having fun…except for one person.<p>

Clare Edwards was having a lot of problems with her boyfriend, Eli Goldsworthy. Lately, Clare couldn't help but notice Eli's peculiar behavior. Eli kept devoting every single minute of every day to Clare the past couple of weeks. Clare didn't understand why he was being this way until she realized that it was the death anniversary of Eli's ex-girlfriend, Julia's, death. That made Clare realized the strong attachment that Eli had over her-he was afraid he would lose Clare on that same day that he lost Julia and Eli would do whatever it took to make sure that history wouldn't repeat himself.

When Eli pushed Clare to going to a gothic fiction convention in Bloomington with him for the weekend, that's when it became too much for Clare to handle and she told Eli that they needed to take a small breather. Eli tried to give Clare all of the space that she needed but it was too hard for him to stay away from her. He told Clare that he would wait by their bench for her so they could go on the trip together even though Eli wasn't allowed to go after stealing his father's gun to shoot a picture of Julia, who he felt was ruining his relationship with Clare.

Clare sat in her room wearing her dark green dressed with full-on makeup and her hair smoothly curled. She had to choose between going on a road trip with the guy she knew would be crushed if she didn't show or having a worry-free fun time at a school dance with her best friend.

Then Clare made her decision. She left the house as she was on her way towards Degrassi so she could do something that she wanted to do and that would make her feel at ease. As much as Clare loves Eli, Eli was starting to scare her and make her feel uncomfortable so she had to be at a place where she could be independent and free and that was at the Spring Dance.

Clare found Alli inside the gym, dancing.

"Clare!" said Alli happily as she hugged Clare. "I was worried you weren't going to make it."

"I almost didn't," said Clare. "I know I should be happy to be here. I mean, here I am all dressed up and wanting to have fun with my best friend…but I'm standing Eli up right now. He's waiting for me right now thinking that I'm going to meet him to go on that road trip with him but I could just feel that it wouldn't be right if I went with him."

"Clare, you need to do what's right for you," said Alli. "If Eli loves you, he'll understand that you need some independence away from him. Right now, you are letting him suck the fun out of this night."

"It's not like that, Alli," Clare explained. "He's so afraid of being away from me and he's probably thinking the worst of me right now for standing him up. I also made a promise to him once that I would never leave him and look what I'm doing now!"

"When you made that promise to him, did you truly feel that was a promise you could keep?" asked Alli.

Clare thought very hard about Alli's question and she knew that Alli was right. When Eli made Clare promise to never leave him, he was in his hearse in tears thinking that Clare was going to leave him for his arch-nemesis, Fitz. Eli broke down in front of Clare and she just hated seeing him like that so she knew Eli would be at ease if Clare took him up on his promise. It's not she didn't _want_ to keep the promise when she made it. It's just that she felt it was too big a promise to keep.

"No, I knew I couldn't guarantee that I would keep it. I mean, I really do need some space," said Clare. "But at the same time,

I still love him."

"Does Eli know that?" asked Alli, forming a smile on her face.

"I'll tell him right now," decided Clare as she grabbed her cell-phone out of her purse and headed out the doors outside of the school.

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><p>Eli was at the bench where him and Clare skipped class and worked on each other's English papers. That bench would always mean something to Eli because that was the one place where he first felt this connection with Clare. This undeniable connection as he dared Clare to scream at the top of her lungs and her playfully forcing Eli to do the same. As Clare continued walking closer to him, making him publically humiliate himself like what he made her do, he grabbed onto her wrists as she backed him to the tree next to the bench and he looked into the blue eyes that he loved so much and she looked back in his eyes. It's very rare to have a connection like that with someone you just met. Eli knew that so he wanted to make sure that this connection between him and Clare wouldn't go away. Especially on this night.<p>

Eli initially waited patiently by the bench for Clare to come. Then a couple of minutes turned into ten minutes. Then ten minutes turned into 20 minutes. He felt so lost as he searched around for Clare without leaving his spot. Eli felt so helpless that he was all alone and how overstimulating it was with Clare being in one place and him being in another. Then he kept on shaking and fidgeting as he kept scratching his head. He kicked the tree by the bench and pulled out the Gothic Tales magazine of him and Clare's story out of his jacket pocket. As he reread their story, it hurt him too much to see it, knowing his other half wasn't beside him right now reading it with him. He slammed the story against his hearse.

Eli got the memo that Clare was never going to come. Never had he felt so much pain in his heart. He thought that Clare would come. He was sure of it. Since there was no sign of her, Eli angrily made his way into Morty and drove on furiously into the oncoming traffic. Then the sound of Eli's cell-phone came into place and Eli saw that the caller-ID said "Clare." Eli immediately picked it up.

"You didn't show up."

"I know. I came to the dance instead," said Clare, calmly.

"YOU RIPPED MY HEART OUT!" screamed Eli.

Clare had never heard Eli scream like that to her before. She knew that Eli would be hurt but not this intensely. She was getting really scared.

"That's not what I meant to do," said Clare as she tried to calm Eli down. Then she heard Eli let out a laugh loud enough for her to hear.

"That's what everyone tells me. 'They never meant to hurt me!' So they figure lying to me hurts less? Deceiving me?" shouted Eli as tears were forming in his eyes.

"It's just that I told you I needed some space and then you come to me at school about us going on that road trip together, completely ignoring that I told you it wouldn't be a good idea," explained Clare as she was pacing back and forth in front of the school. "Before we started going out, you told me that you needed some time in order to figure out whether you were ready to be with me and I gave that to you because I knew how much that meant to you. Now I'm asking you for the same thing for me and you won't give that to me?"

"Clare, I just…I can't do that. You don't understand!" panicked Eli. "I can't be away from you. It's too hard for me. You need to be with me so I know you're ok and so nothing happens to you."

Clare was losing her patience with him. She was upset that Eli still didn't understand what she was saying. Clare knew she had to be more forceful to get him to see what she means.

"Eli," started Clare, raising her voice but still keeping calm. "I'm not one of the stuff in your room that you need to possess in order for things in your world to be stable! I'm an actual human being who needs to figure out who she is and so do you. I need to do my own thing while you do yours this spring vacation."

Eli couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was that really what he's been doing lately, treating Clare like a possession instead of his girlfriend?

"You made a promise, remember?" said Eli as he was choking back tears. "That you would never leave me."

"Well I never should have made that promise to you," said Clare as Eli stared in shock on the other end. "I knew as soon as I made it that I wouldn't be able to keep it because it was too big. I would always be there for you whenever you needed me. But you've become too dependent on me that it's like you need me all the time. Lately, I haven't felt the urge to want to see you because I _always_ see you! Everyday! Every dinner at your house, every movie, every car ride, every picnic. I wouldn't mind those things if it was on the weekends but it hasn't been. This is all too overwhelming and that's why I feel like this break will make our relationship stronger by the time school starts again."

When Eli heard her say all of these things she was feeling, his stomach dropped and all of these thoughts were swimming into his head that he wanted out of his mind.

"Well, I disagree," said Eli. This only infuriated Clare more and more than Eli wasn't even trying to see things her way.

"You know something, Eli?" shouted Clare. "If you're not willing to respect my wishes and think about my needs for a change, then…WE'RE NOT MEANT TO BE TOGETHER!"

Eli shook his head with a smirk on his face, not believing a word she said.

"We are." Eli pointed out.

"Eli, you're not listening to me!" shouted Clare.

"NO, YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO ME!" screamed Eli as he interrupted Clare. "I let people in my life just to have them betray me. Julia, Mike, and now you. So why should you be any different? My life will always be this way and always on this day. I can't continue to live like this anymore."

"Eli, what are you talking about?" worried Clare.

"I will always love you, Blue Eyes," said Eli. "No matter where I go."

Eli abruptly hung up the phone and put slammed his foot in gear as hard as he could for the car to speed up. Then as soon as Eli saw the upcoming bridge, he closed his eyes and hung his head back.

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><p>Clare kept listening through the phone just to hear silence.<p>

"Eli!" screamed Clare. "Eli, answer me!"

Clare waited a few seconds. She closed her phone and stood there in such panic. She felt so helpless. She didn't know what happened to Eli and the thought that something bad happened to him killed her. She heard footsteps behind her and she turned around to see Alli walking towards Clare.

"Hey!" greeted Alli. "So, did you talk to him?"

Clare stared into the distance as she opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out.

"Clare? Are you ok? What's wrong?" worried Alli as she put her hand on Clare's shoulder.

"I just had the most intense fight with Eli on the phone," cried Clare as tears came running down. "I tried explaining to him why I didn't meet him and how I needed space and he took everything I said the wrong way. I just got so fed up and so did he but then he hung up his phone. Before he did that, he told me he would love me no matter where he goes. I don't understand what that means. Do you?"

Alli shrugged in confusion.

"Let's go back inside," said Alli. "It's freezing out here. We don't have to dance if you don't want but we could at least listen to the music. It'll help you take your mind off this."

"Maybe you're right," nodded Clare. "I'll call Eli as soon as the dance is over."

Clare and Alli walked into the gym and started dancing, with Clare having less enthusiasm as Alli.

"Clare! I just got a call from Bullfrog. He tried calling you but I guess you couldn't hear your phone in here. Eli got in a car accident." shouted Adam as Clare looked in horror. "Someone found him and called 911. The ambulance is almost at the hospital now. We have to go! My mom will drive us."

Clare nodded nervously.

"Alli, I'm sorry. I have to go," said Clare as she left.

"Go! Go!" said Alli as she motioned Clare to head towards the door.

The car ride to the ambulance felt like it wasn't fast enough. Clare kept urging Mrs. Torres to drive faster but Adam calmed her down, knowing she wouldn't want to face his mom's wrath.

"He'll be ok, Clare. Eli's always been able to get through anything," reassured Adam as Clare nodded.

By the time Adam and Clare ran into the hospital, they found Bullfrog attempting to hold back tears with his hands on his head by the waiting room at the hospital.

"Bullfrog, what happened?" asked Adam.

"Is he ok? Please tell me he's alright!" begged Clare.

"Eli…is in a coma right now."


	2. Chapter 2

**So sorry I haven't updated in what seems like forever! I had a bunch of stuff I had to do to get rid of college along at yelling at the TV whenever there was a CAKE or an Eli/Imogen scene. I still have faith in Eli and Clare. Whenever I have spare time away from classes and nighttime activities, I will continue to update. Hope you enjoy this chapter and remember that all reviews are appreciated.**

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><p>"He's in a coma?" asks Clare, try to grasp what she just heard. "Wait, what does that mean? Will he be ok? Will he pull through?"<p>

Adam looked just as confused as Clare as they were waiting for the words to come out of Bullfrog, as hard as it was for him. He took a deep breath and continued.

"According to the—to the paramedics, Eli wasn't wearing his seatbelt when he was driving," sobbed Bullfrog. "He flew out of his seat and hit his head very hard on the windshield as the car drove into the wall. The doctors say that he's breathing through the tubes in there and his heart is still beating but there is a small amount of brain activity."

Clare gasped and broke down in tears as she cried on Adam's shoulder. Adam had a different reaction. He had a look on his face that expressed the anger that this was happening to his best friend. One day, he and Eli are hunting turkeys for Bullfrog's birthday and the next, Eli is on life support at the hospital. Clare looked up at Bullfrog with a flood of tears coming out of her eyes.

"He'll pull out of this though, right?" asked Clare. "He's just unconscious for tonight, right? He'll wake up soon, won't he?"

"The doctors say it might take longer than that. First, Eli is going to have brain surgery so the doctors can fix it themselves. If they can't, then we just need to wait until Eli shows any signs of brain activity so they can take the machines off of him and he'll wake up. If he doesn't—if he doesn't wake up…" cried Bullfrog as he broke down in tears with his hands covering his face, unable to finish his sentence. "It's—it's like I tell Eli-'time heals everything.' I just don't understand. Eli was always a safe driver. Clean record and definately no accidents. Why now? Why would he forget to wear his seatbelt? I mean, what was he thinking? Did either of you two talk to Eli before all of this?"

Adam and Clare looked at each other.

"No, I was at the dance the whole time. I mean, Eli called me before the dance started to let me know he wasn't coming because he had other plans. I didn't know what he was going to do," explained Adam.

"Um, yeah. Same here," said Clare, nervously.

"Ok," nodded Bullfrog. "I'm going to meet my wife at the front. She's on her way over here."

Bullfrog headed out of the hospital. Clare was about to leave too until Adam grabbed her arm and faced her towards him.

"Clare, did you tell Bullfrog the truth? You really didn't talk to Eli earlier?" asked Adam, calmly.

"Well…yes. Adam, I know why Eli did this to himself. You see…" started Clare.

"Wait a minute," interrupted Adam. "What do you mean 'did this to himself'? It was just an accident…wasn't it?"

"No," said Clare as she shook her head looking down. "It wasn't. Eli wanted me to go on a road trip with him for the weekend but I wanted to go to the dance instead because lately, Eli wanted to be with me constantly. I felt like I couldn't breathe because he wouldn't let me be. Then I realized that it was because he was trying to take his mind off Julia since her anniversary was approaching and I didn't like feeling used. I just told Eli that I needed space from him until we figured things out. I wasn't breaking up with him, Adam. Honest. All I wanted was a little break and Eli kept taking it the wrong way. He was crying when he called me while I was at the dance and he said he was tired of feeling hurt on this day and felt there would never be an end so he hinted to me that—that—he would kill himself. Now his only source of survival is in the hands of machines."

Adam stood there shocked at what he was hearing. Had his best friend really gone in too deep? There were times that Adam was jealous of what Eli and Clare had without realizing there were more problems between them than he realized. He was really willing to kill himself just because his girlfriend asked for a little space?

"Wow...just...wow," said Adam, shocked and confused.

Adam needed a minute to grasp this new information so he walked away from Clare to look through the window to see Eli lying there helpless and unconscious. Clare followed Adam.

"Adam, are you mad at me?" asked Clare.

"No, I'm mad at what Eli did—or tried to do," said Adam, annoyed. "But...what about me? Besides Drew, Eli is the only guy friend I have and accepts me for who I am. How could he want to escape everything? I mean, he has his writing, his parents, me, you…"

"You mean he _did_ have me. When Eli wakes up, he'll want nothing to do with me" decided Clare.

"You don't know that for sure, Clare," said Adam.

"I don't, huh?" challenged Clare, turning her back. Clare walks towards the window in clear view of Eli lying unconscious in his hospital bed. Clare starts sobbing with tears flowing down slowly as she gently places her hand to the window, as if she can touch him. "Adam, Eli has to make it. He needs to be alive so I can explain things to him. He can't...die thinking that I hated him. I never hated Eli. Things can't end between me and him like this, ok? They just can't."

"Don't cry, Clare", comforted Adam as he turns Clare around and brings her into a hug. "Eli will make it back to both of us. He just has to."


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm baaaaack! And a million apologies for not continuing this story. I just finished my first year of college and too much chaos was erupting in my life to continue. But now that it's summer, I have the energy and the time to continue. As long as I get reviews for this story, I will continue writing it. Let me know what you think! And P.S. WASN'T THAT DEGRASSI FINALE AMAZING! I literally shrieked when Eli and Clare kissed! I really hope they get back together in the next season and stay together.  
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><p><strong>Two Months Later<strong>

Clare was sitting outside of The Dot with Alli. As Clare was sitting down with her best friend, she was continuously stirring her tall coffee with extra sugar with a tiny straw. Her mind has been drifting off to the same place for the past two months- at the hospital where Bullfrog told her that his son-her boyfriend- was sent into a coma after crashing his beloved hearse into a wall for the fear of Clare never being in his life again. She can do anything she wanted to distract herself- spend more time with her mom, write vampire fanfictions, make millions of plans with her friends all to take her mind off of Eli and that spring school dance. But, easier said than done.

"Clare, I think your coffee is stirred enough…Clare…CLARE!", said Alli, annoyed.

Clare wakes herself up and then looks at Alli, smiling in embarrassment.

"Sorry, I was just distracted," apologized Clare.

"Yeah, because coffee is so interesting to look at", says Alli, sarcastically.

Clare looks sternly at Alli.

"Do I sense hostility in your voice?" asked Clare.

"Not hostility- boredom. Look Clare, you're still my best friend but every time we've hung out lately, your mind is always off in outer space somewhere like you've got better things to do. At the mall, you kept looking at the same clothing rack for half an hour. At the movies, you kept leaving the movie to go to the concession stand. Whenever I try to have a real conversation with you, I either get one syllable answers or a nod. The biggest laugh about all of this is that _you _are the one asks _me_ to hang out with you" said Alli.

"I'm sorry, ok? It's just that I have a lot of stuff going on with me right now" apologized Clare.

"Would that stuff have anything to do with Eli?" asked Alli.

"I can't help feeling like Eli wouldn't be in that hospital unconscious if it wasn't for me. I mean, all I wanted was some space from Eli and then we would pick up where we left off. I never wanted to leave him. But if Eli can't respect my wishes, then how can I respect his? I don't know where Eli and I stand now" said Clare.

"I'm actually surprised he's still hooked on those machines. I mean, the new semester has started already" said Alli, curiously.

"You can thank the Goldsworthy's for that. The doctors told them that Eli still has a beating heart but low brain activity. They recommended that they take Eli off life support but Cece and Bullfrog wouldn't stand for it. They have so much hope for him that it's amazing" said Clare, sadly.

"Don't you?" asked Alli.

"I don't know how I feel. I do want him to wake him but not for my sake but for his parents and for Adam. I don't want to care too much about him. It would just hurt me too much if he doesn't wake up" said Clare.

"Well Clare, look at it this way- you finally got the well-deserved space you wanted" said Alli, proudly.

Clare quickly stood up.

"How can you say that? I didn't want space like this. Not when both of us have no choice but to be apart from each other! How can you be so heartless about this? You're supposed to be my friend here!" yelled Clare.

"I am being your friend by trying to be realistic about this. I mean, come on Clare! You and Eli weren't going to last anyways. You're both two completely different people. You have religion, he doesn't. You have a light outlook on life, his is dark. You think before you act, Eli does the opposite. If there's anything I've learned at Degrassi is that relationships are not the best thing to form there. Take it from me" explained Alli.

Alli's hurtful words caused Clare's blood to boil. How could Alli be so cold about Eli? And why? Alli has never even made conversation with Eli before. Clare was looking for Alli to bring up Eli during the days they've spent together but not like this. This is the first time in all of the years that Clare had been friends with Alli that she wanted to punch her.

"What you saw in Eli I will never understand" said Alli, laughing.

"Well… now the truth finally comes out. You know what, you are completely right about me and Eli, Alli. You will never understand what I saw in him. Because yes, what I know about Eli is that he's an atheist, preferred a hearse over a real car, never wears color, and does get himself in pretty drastic situations. But that's what _everyone_ sees in Eli including you. But what _I_ see in Eli is a guy who knows when I feel bad about something without telling him. Who makes me want to be more up front with any problems in my life instead of sulking about them. Who makes me laugh and who smiles at me the way one has. Like I'm what makes him enjoy his life more like he's made me enjoy mine. Just because I wanted space from him doesn't mean I'll ever forget any of those details" said Clare.

"Clare, calm down! I am just trying to be honest with you. That's what a true friend would do." said Alli.

"No you're not. You're being a…a bitch!" shouted Clare.

Alli's face froze as the tears were falling down her face on their own.

"What?" asked Alli with her voice breaking in sobs.

"You heard me" said Clare, quietly. "You've always been jealous of what Eli and I have…had…because our relationship was actually working out and our feelings weren't based on outer appearances or social statuses or about sex. It was about who we were on the inside and our feelings for each other. You've always wanted that but never got it because of you rushing into something that was never there to begin with. It may have taken Eli and I a little long for us to end up together but we did and the wait was worth it. I've been asking you constantly for the past two months to hang out because I don't want to be alone and I hoped you would make me feel better. _That_ is what a true friend would do."

"Clare, please! I'm trying to protect you from falling too in deep with this guy!" yelled Alli as Clare was walking away.

Clare stopped and turned around.

"Too late, Alli. I think I am. And that's what scares me" said Clare.

Clare stormed away from The Dot and away from Alli as she was covering her face to hide her tears from customers walking in. Sometimes, there are words better left unsaid. From both Clare and Alli. Clare took her phone out from her purse and walked down the street as she called Adam.

"_Hey! What's up?" _

"Adam," said Clare. "There's something that I…"

"_I'm not here right now. Leave a message. Booyah!" _said Adam's voicemail.

"Hey, Adam. It's Clare. I've changed my mind. I want to visit Eli with you at the hospital tomorrow after school. Call me back as soon as you can."


	4. Chapter 4

"Got your two voicemails and your five texts" said Adam to Clare as he was putting his books back into his locker. "So you want to see Eli?"

"Yeah. I do." said Clare as she was leaning on her locker.

"Why now? I've been asking you for the first two weeks that Eli was in the hospital and you've never shown interest" said Adam, annoyed.

"It's not that I've never shown interest, Adam" said Clare with a slight tension in her voice. "I've always been curious with Eli's progress. I've just been too afraid to go because it's not easy seeing Eli hooked up to a machine, knowing that he can possibly never wake up. And always being scared that the next time I see Eli will be the last."

"You could have called and vented to me like you used to" said Adam.

"How could I when you would have pressured me to visit Eli every time we hung out?" said Clare, accusingly. Adam slammed his locker door.

"I would…!" shouted Adam, defensively.

"Have!" interrupted Clare, pointing her finger at Adam. "You would have!"

Adam sighed.

"I have the same fears that you have, Clare, about Eli. Only difference is that I still went to the hospital to visit him" said Adam.

Clare's face fell down, knowing that Adam was right.

"Look Clare, I know you and Eli didn't exactly leave things off in the best way but that doesn't mean that you just cut him out of your life" said Adam.

"I know" said Clare. "And I realized that when I got into a fight with Alli yesterday at the Dot. I spent all of my time defending Eli that I realized that I did miss him. No matter what crazy things he does, there's still the guy who cares about me in that hospital. I just hope that when he does wake up, he'll _want_ to see me."

"Well, only one way to find out" smiled Adam as he was putting different textbooks in his backpack and heading towards the classroom. "We'll go after school."

"Correction," said Clare as she tugged Adam's arm in the direction of the exit. "We're going now."

"Now?" asked Adam, surprised. "But we have Perino's class right now. Out of all of the classes to ditch, you pick his? You do know that his joy in life is giving out detentions like they're free iPods, right?"

"Oh ye of little faith, Adam Torres" said Clare, annoyed. "You're acting as if you've never ditched class before."

"No, Clare! I'm not Eli." Adam retorted back.

"Well, just for today, you're going to have to at least think like him if we're going to pull this off" said Clare as she continued walking.

"That's a scary thought" said Adam, looking disturbed. Clare laughed slightly.

"I need to see him now before I change my mind" said Clare as she and Adam were running to the exit, looking both ways to avoid being caught by a teacher.

Clare and Adam took a bus to the hospital saying barely any words to each other. Clare was shaking both of her hands as she was sitting down next to Adam on the bus. Adam couldn't help noticing Clare's nervousness. He friendly tugged her arm to let her know that everything was going to be okay. Clare gave a slight smile and stared out the window, hoping Adam would be right.

Clare and Adam walked through the entrance of the hospital and got on the elevator to Eli's floor. Adam led Clare to the direction of Eli's room when she saw Cece and Bullfrog sitting by the chairs outside the room. Because the blinds were down, Clare was not able to see through the other side of the room. Clare felt scared confronting the Goldsworthy's but knew that she was going to have to face them sooner or later.

"Mr. and Mrs. Goldsworthy!" said Clare.

Cece and Bullfrog got up from the chairs. They both looked surprised and relieved to see Clare.

"Oh, honey! You know we never go by those names!" said Cece, smiling.

"Yeah, there's no need for formalities, Clarabelle. Even if I happen to be a well-acclaimed shock jock" said Bullfrog, laughing. Clare laughed back nervously.

"I just thought that…things would be different between us. That you two would be mad at me for never visiting."

"We knew that you were going to come here eventually to see him" said Cece, confidently.

"Or for being the one who caused Eli's accident…or for both of those reasons" Clare continued, lowering her voice.

Adam pulled his comic book out of his backpack.

"Um, I'm going to go in and talk to Eli. Hey," Adam laughed. "Maybe this new edition of the Goon will wake him up considering he thought the last issue was 'preposterous.'"

As Adam walked into the room, Cece and Bullfrog took Clare a few steps away from Eli's hospital room.

"Clare, do you really think that you were responsible for Eli's accident? Eli is in the position he's in now because he wasn't wearing his seatbelt" said Bullfrog with Cece nodding beside him.

"No, it's not just that. I broke up with him over the phone because he wasn't letting me have the space I wanted. With the day of the accident being the anniversary of Julia's death, it freaked him out and he wanted to watch over me as if some force would tear us apart in the same way it did for him and Julia. I just couldn't deal with that. I didn't want to break up with him but I felt like he left me no choice" explained Clare.

"Clare, our son developed a lot of problems after Julia died. She was his first girlfriend and grew really close to each other. Eli wasn't exactly the best at making friends. He was just different than the other students before Degrassi. Bullfrog and I don't blame you for Eli's accident. We blame ourselves." explained Cece.

"What? Why would you do that?" asked Clare, in confusion.

"Because we spent too much time being friends with Eli that we forgot we're his parents and that comes first. If we both keep ignoring the demons going on in Eli's life, they could take over his whole life and make it worse…and it did" said Bullfrog, putting his arm around Cece. "That's why we decided that when Eli wakes up, things are going to change. We're going to try to be his parents and help him with what he's going through."

"So you really do think he's going to wake up?" asked Clare.

"Our son is strong. I know him. He'll get through this" said Cece.

"I really hope you're right" said Clare.

Adam walks out of Eli's room.

"Hey Clare!" Adam called out. "It's time."

Clare nodded and gave a small wave.

"Thank you…Cece. Bullfrog" said Clare to Cece and Bullfrog.

Clare walked slowly to Eli's room. When she went inside, she finally saw Eli. If she didn't know any better, it would look like he was asleep. Only she had to tell herself that he wasn't. Being asleep wouldn't involve being attached to a machine beeping rhythmically to the patterns of your brain and heart. It was strange for her to see Eli looking peaceful when she would normally see him all energized with a rapid heartbeat. She also noticed he had some cards by his nightstand-including one from Ms. Dawes, which made her feel even worse knowing that even his own teacher visited him. Of course she could guess where the "Get Well Soon at the Speed of Sound" balloons came from. Clare sat down in the chair that was by the side of Eli's bed.

"Hey Eli" Clare started. "How are you? I…I really wish you could talk to me. Even if all that will come out your mouth is vicious sarcasm, I would even want to hear that. I know I haven't visited you since you first got here. I didn't even want to come here today. But as hard as you may find it to believe, I miss you. You have no idea how much."

Clare paused as she looked at Eli, pale, motionless. This wasn't the boy she knew.

"I know you're probably mad at me. But you need to understand that you could have always told me anything" said Clare. "If anything was bothering you, all you had to do was tell me. That's what being in a relationship is about. I may not have been Julia but I still should have been treated the same way you treated her! With respect towards wishes and trust!"

Clare stopped herself when she realized that yelling at Eli was the last thing he needed right now.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you" said Clare, sadly. "I just wish things were different. I always kept wishing that I came first in your life instead of Julia so that you wouldn't need to hide anything from me and that all of your love was given to me and only me. That you would wake up and be with us all. I know I need to accept that you'll never be completely over Julia. I just don't want it to be where it's like I'm constantly threatened by a ghost. That's why I want you to wake up. So we can finally have this talk that we've both been avoiding. There are so many people in your life who love you. You have your mom; your dad, Adam's been visiting you a lot after school, and Ms. Dawes even came here to see you. And also…I want you here too. Even if it is just as a friend. It would be enough for me."

Clare held onto Eli's hand. When she realized that Eli wasn't holding it back, a flood of tears came rushing down her face.

"Please come back, Eli! I love you! Did you hear me? Eli, I love you. Please wake up" cried Clare, hysterically. Clare buried her head on the side of Eli's bed still holding his hand.

As she was still crying, she could suddenly feel Eli's fingers starting to tremble a little. His hand was slowly gripping hers. Then Eli was holding Clare's hand softly as he massaged her hand with his thumb. Clare looked up simultaneously in shock.

"E-Eli?" stuttered Clare in utter shock.

"Julia?" asked Eli, raspy. Clare looked disappointed.

"No. No, Eli. It's me. You're- you're back! You're awake! I knew you would come back to me, Eli! Your parents did too!" said Clare, happily.

Eli opened his eyes slowly. Happily, Clare stood up to try to hug him when he moved himself swiftly to the side of the bed opposite of Clare.

"Who are you?" asked Eli, confused.


	5. Chapter 5

**So sorry about the long wait! I had to focus on studying for a test. I know I'm not the best at updating quickly but I will try to be quick. On to a happier note...ECLARE IS BACK TOGETHER! I knew they would! That kiss was amazing and I was so happy that Eli and Clare patched things up. And Part 2 of the episode was just as great from them falling asleep talking to each other on the phone to Eli being cool about Clare missing their date. It proves that Eli has changed because I'm sure that if this happened like when they broke up the first time, he would have freaked out and obsessed over it. Eclare is totally endgame. So read and review, please!**

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><p>"What?" asked Clare, softly in disbelief of what she just heard.<p>

"Who are you?" repeated Eli in completely confusion.

"Who am I? It's me. It's me, Clare. I'm your…" said Clare, with shakiness in her voice. Clare caressed her hand on Eli's cheek. "Eli, you really don't remember me?"

"No, I don't!" said Eli frantically as he brushed Clare's hand off his cheek. "Why…why am I in here? Where are my parents? Julia?"

"Julia? Eli, you know what happened to Julia" said Clare, slowly.

"What happened to Julia? How do you know her? I don't even know _you_!" yelled Eli as he tried to get up from the bed. Clare stopped him by gently grabbing his shoulders and sitting him up on the bed.

"Eli, I need you to calm down. Please" said Clare.

"I need you to leave! I want my parents here. Where are my parents?" shouted Eli.

"Ok, ok. I'll get them for you, Eli. I'll get them now. They're outside" said Clare as tears were forming in her eyes. Clare walked out of the room in a rapid pace and walked up to Cece and Bullfrog in tears.

"He's awake" said Clare.

"What?" cried out Cece.

"That's amazing! I knew he would come back to us all. Our son, the warrior!" cheered Bullfrog, happily as he hugged his wife.

"He came back to you guys. Not me. There's some bad news" said Clare, slightly choking on her sobs. "Eli doesn't remember me. He probably won't remember Adam. He remembers everything during the time he was with Julia. He thinks that she's still alive."

"Oh Clarabelle!" cried Bullfrog. "I'm so sorry. I thought you were crying because you were so happy that Eli woke up. He lost his memory?"

"I think he remembers everything that happened before he came to Degrassi. Everything after…" said Clare as she buried her face in her hands.

"Oh, Clare" comforted Cece as she tried to hug Clare. Clare stepped back quickly.

"Um, you know what? I'm really happy for Eli. I'm glad he's awake. You should go to him now. He was really freaking out in there. Please don't talk to him about me. It's important for you two to be there for him right now. As far as he knows, I don't exist" said Clare.

"Clare, I'm sorry. We had no idea" said Bullfrog.

"Just be there for him. I'm gonna go" said Clare.

Cece and Bullfrog nodded their heads and walked into Eli's room. Clare was about to turn around towards the exit but she couldn't resist looking through Eli's window. She saw Eli's face light up when he saw his parents walk in. Clare felt a sense of relief that at least Eli was able to remember his own parents. She didn't want Cece and Bullfrog to feel the pain and disappointment that she felt when Eli had no clue who she was. They didn't deserve that. But did Clare? She herself didn't know. Is this the price you pay when you break up with someone who needed help in the first place? Clare couldn't hear through the window but she could see very well how calm Eli was in front of his parents and how happy. Maybe that was the thing. Maybe Clare being around Eli made him be this person he never was. Could this be real?

"Cece, Bullfrog! I'm so happy to see you guys!" said Eli, hugging his parents. "What is going on here? One minute I'm in my room getting ready to pick up Julia for prom and the next I'm in this depressing hospital hooked up to an IV with my head wrapped up and tubes up my nose. Please tell me how I could have gotten here."

"Oh, baby boy!" cried Cece. "You got into a car accident and you weren't wearing your seatbelt. The witness said that you slammed your head against the windshield."

"Witness?" asked Eli.

"We didn't catch his name" said Bullfrog. "You were in a coma for two months. You had us all worried sick."

"Two months?" shouted Eli, in shock. "I've been unconscious for two months? I can't believe this! I…I'm so sorry for what I put you guys through. You must have been freaked."

"Baby boy, this was nothing but an accident" said Cece.

"And what's important is that you're back to us" said Bullfrog.

Eli lifted his head up from the pillow again.

"Wait a minute" said Eli. "She's here, isn't she? Julia? She must be outside waiting for me. I need to talk to her right now and explain why I wasn't at the prom. She must be so scared."

As Eli was about to get out of the bed, Cece gently grabbed onto his arm to stop him.

"No, honey. You can't" said Cece, sadly. Eli narrowed his eyes at her.

"Why not?" asked Eli.

"Because…" Bullfrog started off as looked at his wife and her nodding in return. "Because Julia's gone. She died a year ago. A car hit her."

"Wha…what? What do you mean she died?" screamed Eli, frantically. "No, no she didn't. She's waiting for me outside. She's not gone, ok? She's not! I don't believe you! I saw her yesterday!"

"No, Eli. The last time you saw Julia was a year ago" said Cece.

"Wait a minute! You said I've only been unconscious for two months!" shouted Eli.

"You have been. It looks like you've suffered some memory loss. If the last memory you had was before you went to your prom night at Bardell, then you have no memory of anything after. A whole year has been wiped out of your mind" explained Bullfrog.

"No, you're both wrong!" screamed Eli in fury. "I need to get out of here. I need to see Julia! Please!"

Eli ripped out his IV from his arm along with the tubes that were hanging from his nose. As he tried to push himself out of bed, Bullfrog held him down on his bed to stay put.

"Cece, get the doctor!" shouted Bullfrog.

Cece rushed out and cried out for a doctor without seeing a shocked and tearful Clare was standing right by the door she barged out of the whole time. Clare came to the realization that he knew the truth about Julia, his first true love he ever had. Clare ran down four flights of stairs out of the hospital, not being able to bear seeing anymore.

As Clare was down the sidewalk, she just could not believe how mind blowing everything was. All in no more than an hour, Clare found out the boy she's been in love with who was in a coma for two months has no recollection of their times together. This means that the Eli sitting in that hospital bed is not the Eli that she knew. Because despite all of the good things about Eli, the Eli she knew was easily worried all the time, stressed, controlling, and didn't think about how his actions could hurt the people he cared about. But there was one trigger that brought all of this on: Julia. Because the loss of Julia was so painful for Eli to grasp even then, it brought out a side that was too extreme for Clare to handle. Clare thought "maybe that side doesn't exist anymore." Even so, it's still too risky to find out. The biggest question on Clare's mind was whether to visit Eli like she told his parents she would or to back out now while Eli has no memory of her?

Clare walked up to Adam's house and knocked on the door, secretly hoping she still had the energy to talk. She couldn't avoid Adam. He needed to know the truth. The door opened and Adam came out as he shut the door behind him.

"Hey, Clare? How's it?" asked Adam, noticing Clare's tear-stained face. "Have you been crying?"

"Eli's awake. He woke up as I spoke to him in his room just an hour ago" said Clare.

"What? That's awesome! And about time too! I want to show him the new edition of "The Goon" that I got. I can't wait to see the look on his face when I tell him how I…" said Adam, excitedly as he was walking away rapidly from the house with Clare sadly watching.

"Adam!" interrupted Clare. "He won't know who you are."

"What?" asked Adam as he turned around. "What are you talking about?"

"He lost his memory. His last thought was a year ago before he went to Degrassi. Before he met us. When Julia was alive" said Clare, sadly.

"Wow" said Adam, in shock. "I can't believe this but-wow! That explains the tears. Well, as his friends, it's obvious what we have to do right now."

"What?" asked Clare.

"Help him get his memory back!" shouted Adam.

Clare took a breath.

"I can't, Adam" said Clare, looking down.

"What do you mean?" asked Adam. Adam shook Clare's shoulders. "What do you mean you can't? Of course you can! This is Eli we're talking about! The guy you've known all semester who's been there for us many times when we've needed it. The least we can do is bring the Eli we know back!"

"Maybe I don't want him back! All of this happened because of me!" shouted Clare. Adam tried to interrupt. "No Adam, let me finish. I don't want Eli to remember me because all I did was be his trigger to his problems. If he didn't know me, he wouldn't have fallen in love with me up to the point where he felt the need to attempt suicide because I needed space from him for a little bit."

"Clare, none of this was your fault. It was all Eli and how he should have had some time to get over his ex before starting a relationship with you before Vegas Night" said Adam, truthfully.

"Well, now Eli has all the time in the world. I don't want to be a distraction to Eli so he doesn't have to deal with the issues he should have resolved before he met me. He can't know about me, Adam. Not yet. Ok, believe me. This may seem selfish to you but I'm doing this for him" said Clare.

"So, what are you gonna do? Never see him again? Just be another face to him? Clare, I'm not going to lose my best friend. There's no one like him except my step-brother who treats me the way I should be treated-as a guy. I'm not just going to erase him out of my life because you are" explained Adam.

Clare sighed. She knew that part of what Adam said is true but that what she said was just as true. Eli should never have been with Clare when he was not in his right mind to do so. But did that mean that Clare had to pretend Eli never existed just like Eli believed about her? Then Adam made a mischievous face towards Clare.

"Why don't we come up with a compromise?" offered Adam.

"What kind of compromise?" asked Clare, curiously.

"Eli doesn't remember who you are, right?" asked Adam.

"Yes, we've established that already!" annoyed Clare.

"Then why don't you come with me to see Eli but introduce yourself as just his writing partner and nothing more? That way you can have your cake and eat it too. I won't mention to Eli about your romantic past with him and we'll make sure his parents don't either" proposed Adam.

Clare thought this plan was outrageous. That meant that every time she went to visit Eli, she would have to lie to him. Or maybe she wouldn't have to for long. They could always fall back to each other again. Make a fresh new start. But Clare knew that no matter how strong her urge was to kiss him, she must resist in order for Eli to resolve his issues once and for all and to start all over. If she knew everything about him, this time there would be no surprises. At least, she thought so.

"Ok. I'm in" said Clare with Adam smiling. "But let's see him tomorrow so Eli can breathe and digest all of this."

"Since I've waited two months to see him, I guess I can wait another day" joked Adam. "Wanna go to The Dot? You can tell me what happened exactly when you went to see Eli."

"Sounds good" said Clare.

Clare knew this would be a new start for her and Eli. But exactly what would Eli think of Clare when he saw her again? She only had one day to find out.


	6. Chapter 6

Clare and Adam walked to the hospital together. On the fifteen minute walk there, Clare could not help but wonder what would happen when she got there. The last time Eli saw Clare at the hospital, he acted like he wanted nothing to do with her. Why would his feelings suddenly change? Even though Clare had no interest in being Eli's boyfriend again did not mean that she wanted to avoid being his friend. There's too much history between the two of them to just stop being friends. They both know too much about each other; or at least Clare does now.

Adam and Clare walked through the entrance doors and up the elevator to see Eli. When Clare looked through Eli's window, he was just lying on his bed reading "18 Best Stories" by Edgar Allen Poe. Adam could not help notice how slowly Clare was walking towards Eli's door.

"Clare" said Adam. "You're going to see Eli. Not Osama Bin Laden."

"Ha ha" said Clare sarcastically as she rolled her eyes. "_You_ have nothing to hide here. I only have to go up to Eli and act as if the only thing we have ever been towards each other is writing partners."

"Well, that's how you and Eli started out. Shouldn't be that difficult. If it makes you feel any better, I'll go in first to show you that it's not a big deal. Besides, you already had a chance to see Eli. Can't let you hog all the attention." offered Adam, jokingly.

"Ok, thanks" sighed Clare.

Adam nodded and opened Eli's door. Eli looked up from his book and stared confusedly at Adam.

"Hey, Eli" started Adam. "I heard that you probably won't remember me. I'm Adam. We're friends at school."

"Friends, huh?" asked Eli.

"Yeah, we met when we were trying to get tickets for the Dead Hand concert" explained Adam.

"Really? And did we get to go?" asked Eli.

"Yeah, actually. We went with a bunch of other people. It was awesome…until we got pulled over by the cops when they found out that our driver stole his parents' car to take us there" said Adam.

"Oh man!" laughed Eli. "I wish I could remember that. The Dead Hand are epic along with getting pulled over by the cops. That's pretty damn rebellious."

Adam laughed, feeling lucky that he got his best friend back.

"So how long have we known each other?" asked Eli.

"Just a semester. But we've both had good times. Video games, watching wrestling matches, comic book trade-offs. Speaking of which, I wanted to show you the new edition of The Goon. Although to you, you still have a couple of editions to go before you get to this one" laughed Adam.

"Wow. Willing to give me a sneak peek to one of my favorite comics? I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship" said Eli, jokingly. "Well, at least to me."

Clare saw through the window Eli and Adam laughing. It reassured her very well to know at least Eli was getting along well with Adam. She figured she had a chance too. It still didn't stop her from being worried if any memories would come back to Eli.

Clare saw Adam wave good-bye to Eli, knowing her turn to see Eli would be right now.

Adam opened the door.

"Ok, Clare. Your turn" said Adam.

"So what did you two talk about?" asked Clare, curiously.

"Just got through the introductions. I didn't want to overload too much about myself since he just woke up from a three-month coma" explained Adam.

"Oh," said Clare. "So that means he knows about you being..."

"No" interrupted Adam. "I want him to know who I am first as a guy before he knows I'm an FTM. Like last time."

Clare nodded and gave a worried sigh.

"Clare" said Adam, annoyed. "He's in a good mood right now. Just go in."

Adam gave Clare a gentle push towards the toward. Clare slowly opened the door and walked a few steps into Eli's hospital room, standing by the door.

"H…hey" said Clare.

"Um, hey" said Eli, slowly. "Another surprise visitor."

"It's okay" said Clare. "I can leave."

Clare started to make her way to leave.

"Hey, you're the girl from earlier, aren't you?" asked Eli. Clare stopped and turned around.

"Yeah. Clare. We were writing partners at Degrassi for A.P. English" explained Clare.

"Wow. Guess I've still been a good writer" said Eli.

"Well…" said Clare as she walked closer to Eli's bed, smiling. "You tend to settle for a tone darker than my taste and are a bit too wordy…"

"Ouch!" interrupted Eli, sarcastically.

"Sometimes! But still overall very talented" said Clare, smiling trying to ease the tension.

"Well that's what I like to hear" smirked Eli. "And I'm sorry for earlier-freaking out on you. It's just been crazy. I feel like I've been gone for a really long time and when I came back, everything changed. Old people in my life vanished and new people came."

Clare looked down, sadly.

"I really am sorry about Julia" said Clare, heartfelt.

"Did you know her?" asked Eli.

"No. You mentioned her to me once when we were thinking of what to write for our assignment. They were supposed to be personal letters towards each other. That's all, really" lied Clare.

"Ok, I believe you" laughed Eli, throwing his hands up in defense. "Are you sure all we were were writing partners?"

"Of course! Yes!" said Clare, nervously. "What else would we be?"

"I don't know. I mean, I have no idea who you are but you seem pretty comfortable around me as if we've spent a lot of time together before. Not like we're only acquaintances." said Eli.

"Well, we see each other for class all the time and read each other's work so we know our style and all. But whatever I know about you is just whatever you wrote in your papers since it's my job to edit yours" explained Clare, again nervously.

"So if we only met for school, then why are you here?" asked Eli.

"I told our teacher that I would keep visiting you to help you up to date with our English class. You told me how English was always your best subject so I wouldn't want that to be ruined" explained Clare.

"I think I'd like that" said Eli, smirking.

"Um, good" said Clare, trying hard not to make eye contact to avoid her blush.

As Eli stared confusedly at this girl he has never spoken to before and as awkwardly as she was being around him, he could not help but notice that she had the prettiest eyes he'd ever seen.


End file.
